DOCSLIB.ORG

Landscape Structure Influences Avian Species Diversity in Tropical Urban Mosaics 2 Short Title: Avian Species Diversity

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Landscape Structure Influences Avian Species Diversity in Tropical Urban Mosaics 2 Short Title: Avian Species Diversity bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/388702; this version posted August 9, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. 1 1 Full title: Landscape structure influences avian species diversity in tropical urban mosaics 2 Short title: Avian species diversity 3 4 Authors 5 Trymore Muderere1*. Amon Murwira1. Paradzayi Tagwireyi1. Ngoni Chiweshe2 6 Corresponding author* Trymore Muderere, Phone +263-775-031-477, Email: 7 [email protected] 8 1Department of Geography and Environmental Science, Centre for Geoinformation Science and 9 Earth Observation, University of Zimbabwe, P.O Box MP167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, 10 Zimbabwe 11 2Department of Tropical Resource Ecology, University of Zimbabwe, P.O Box MP167, Mount 12 Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe 13 14 Abstract 15 In this study, we tested whether urban landscape structure influences avian species diversity 16 using data for Harare, Zimbabwe. Initially, we quantified landscape structure using 17 fragmentation indices derived from a 5m resolution SPOT 5 imagery. We collected bird species 18 data through field-based observations of birds at 35 locations occurring in five land use/land 19 cover types. We quantified avian species diversity using Barger-Parker, Menhinick and 20 Simpson’s Indices. Regression analysis was used to determine the nature and strength of the 21 relationships between avian species diversity and fragmentation indices. Results indicated that 22 woodland specialist avian species are negatively associated with landscape fragmentation, while 23 grassland specialist and generalist avian species positively responded to patch edge density, 24 habitat patch size and shape complexity. Overall, our results suggest that changes in landscape 25 structure due to expansion of built-up areas in tropical urban areas may influence avian species 26 diversity. 27 28 Keywords: landscape fragmentation, SPOT 5, avian species diversity, urban landscape ecology bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/388702; this version posted August 9, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. 2 29 Introduction 30 Understanding the factors that influence biodiversity within urban landscapes is fundamental to 31 the planning and development of biodiversity tolerant cities. In the 21st Century, increasing 32 landscape fragmentation resulting from urban development and transportation infrastructure is 33 considered a predominant driver of biodiversity loss in tropical ecosystems [1]. Urban 34 development has a marked impact on the environment [2] as it replaces wildlife habitat with 35 artificial surfaces that are unsuitable as wildlife habitat e.g., asphalt surfaces [3]. Although urban 36 areas occupy <3% of the Earth’s land surface area [4], their ecological impacts span over large 37 spatial extents and sometimes beyond the urban boundaries [5]. Thus, understanding biological 38 diversity-landscape structure (spatial configuration of a given land cover class) relationships is 39 increasingly becoming critical in urban planning [6]. In urban areas, the expansion of built-up 40 areas as well as its configuration is hypothesised to have differential but significant impacts on 41 biodiversity patterns [3], thereby making objective methods for quantifying this phenomena 42 critical. 43 44 The quantification of landscape structure in urban landscapes is an important step towards 45 developing urban growth management plans that promote biological diversity. Thus, the 46 development of methods for understanding the impact of urban development on biological 47 diversity in the tropics is critical for biodiversity conservation and enhancement of wildlife 48 persistence in these ecosystems. Such methods may need to focus on improving the estimates of 49 landscape structure-biodiversity relationships. Although field measurements are regarded as the 50 most accurate method of quantifying landscape structure-biodiversity relationships, these 51 measurements are costly and labour intensive and can only be feasible over smaller scales [7, 8]. 52 In this regard the development of methods that supplement field measurements is important. 53 54 Developments in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and satellite remote sensing have made 55 it possible to quantify landscape structure rapidly [2, 3]. In the past, several studies have 56 demonstrated the utility of landscape indices derived from satellite remotely sensed GIS data in 57 estimating landscape-biodiversity relationships across various spatiotemporal scales in temperate 58 landscapes [9-11]. For example, in a study by Coops et al. [12] satellite-derived landscape 59 metrics were used to predict bird species richness in Ontario, Canada using the Moderate- 60 resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and explained variance ranging between 47 to 61 75%. Similarly, Guo et al. [10] used a coarse Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) to estimate avian 62 species habitat relationships in temperate landscapes of Saskatchewan, Canada and their highest 63 coefficient of determination (R2) was 53%. Wood et al. [11] compared remotely sensed and field- 64 measured vegetation structure in predicting avian species density in Wisconsin, USA and 65 observed that air photo (R2 = 0.54) and Landsat TM satellite image (R2 = 0.52) were better 66 predictors of avian species density than field-measured vegetation structure (R2 = 0.32). In urban 67 landscapes, relatively higher resolution imagery could be of use in modelling the relationship 68 between landscape structure and biodiversity. 69 70 The availability of high spatial resolution sensors such as SPOT 5 has provided data that could 71 be used to improve the quantification and mapping of landscape structure indices in urban 72 landscapes that in turn may allow for improved understanding of landscape structure-biodiversity 73 relationships. To date, studies that assess the utility of high spatial resolution multispectral bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/388702; this version posted August 9, 2018. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. 3 74 imagery such as SPOT 5 in estimating landscape structure-biodiversity relationships in tropical 75 urban ecosystems remains rudimentary. 76 77 In this study, we tested whether and in what way landscape structure indices derived from 78 remotely sensed land cover relate with avian species diversity patterns in Harare, Zimbabwe. 79 Specifically, we tested whether and to what extent avian species diversity respond to constraints 80 including habitat patch size, habitat shape complexity, and habitat inter-patch distance. We 81 derived bird species data from field surveys and landscape structure data from high spatial 82 resolution sensors, i.e. SPOT 5 for Harare, Zimbabwe. We expect differential responses of avian 83 species diversity to habitat constraints. For example, woodland and grassland specialist avian 84 species may be negatively related to decrease in habitat patch size, increased shape complexity 85 and habitat isolation distance. While generalist species will respond positively to changes in 86 habitat conditions. 87 88 89 Materials and Methods 90 Study area 91 The study was carried out in the Harare Metropolitan province of Zimbabwe (Figure 1). The 92 Harare metropolitan area is approximately 892km2 in spatial extent and has a human population 93 of approximately 2.5 million [13]. The center of the study area, is located at Longitude 31º7ꞌE 94 and Latitude 17º55ꞌS with an altitude range of 1400-1500m above sea level. The city experience 95 two distinct seasons i.e., hot wet summers (October – April) and cool dry winters (May – 96 September). The mean annual rainfall ranges between 800-1000mm, while mean annual 97 temperature ranges between 25 – 27 ºC [14]. 98 99 #Insert Figure 1 100 101 Our own fieldwork showed that the prevalent land use/land cover (LULC) types in the city 102 include grasslands/pasture and cropland (64.0%), forested (21.0%), urban built-up areas (10.7%), 103 bare ground (3.8%) and water (0.5%). The forested land cover type is mainly deciduous dry 104 Miombo woodland dominated by Brachystegia spiciformis, Julbernardia globiflora and Uapaca 105 kirkiana [15]. The bare ground cover type consists of exposed surfaces and area under active 106 urban development. The water cover type includes impoundments and rivers. The urban built-up 107 area is made up of impervious surface covering including road networks, industrial areas, high 108 and low density residential areas. The study site was selected because it represents an ideal 109 location to study landscape structure-biodiversity relationships in the context of regional and 110 urban planning. The area is currently undergoing a rapid increase in human population associated 111 with unguided urban development patterns whose impacts have not been quantified. 112 113 Quantifying landscape structure 114 We derived landscape structure data from a 5-m spatial resolution SPOT 5 image of Harare. 115 Specifically, using
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone Bumbuna Hydroelectric
    Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone Ministry of Energy and Power Public Disclosure Authorized Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project Environmental Impact Assessment Draft Final Report - Appendices Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized January 2005 Public Disclosure Authorized in association with BMT Cordah Ltd Appendices Document Orientation The present EIA report is split into three separate but closely related documents as follows: Volume1 – Executive Summary Volume 2 – Main Report Volume 3 – Appendices This document is Volume 3 – Appendices. Nippon Koei UK, BMT Cordah and Environmental Foundation for Africa i Appendices Glossary of Acronyms AD Anno Domini AfDB African Development Bank AIDS Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome ANC Antenatal Care BCC Behavioural Change Communication BHP Bumbuna Hydroelectric Project BWMA Bumbuna Watershed Management Authority BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand BP Bank Procedure (World Bank) CBD Convention on Biodiversity CHC Community Health Centre CHO Community Health Officer CHP Community Health Post CLC Community Liaison Committee COD Chemical Oxygen Demand dbh diameter at breast height DFID Department for International Development (UK) DHMT District Health Management Team DOC Dissolved Organic Carbon DRP Dam Review Panel DUC Dams Under Construction EA Environmental Assessment ECA Export Credit Agency EFA Environmental Foundation for Africa EHS Environment, Health and Safety EHSO Environment, Health and Safety Officer EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMP Environmental Management Plan EPA
    [Show full text]
  • TNP SOK 2011 Internet
    GARDEN ROUTE NATIONAL PARK : THE TSITSIKAMMA SANP ARKS SECTION STATE OF KNOWLEDGE Contributors: N. Hanekom 1, R.M. Randall 1, D. Bower, A. Riley 2 and N. Kruger 1 1 SANParks Scientific Services, Garden Route (Rondevlei Office), PO Box 176, Sedgefield, 6573 2 Knysna National Lakes Area, P.O. Box 314, Knysna, 6570 Most recent update: 10 May 2012 Disclaimer This report has been produced by SANParks to summarise information available on a specific conservation area. Production of the report, in either hard copy or electronic format, does not signify that: the referenced information necessarily reflect the views and policies of SANParks; the referenced information is either correct or accurate; SANParks retains copies of the referenced documents; SANParks will provide second parties with copies of the referenced documents. This standpoint has the premise that (i) reproduction of copywrited material is illegal, (ii) copying of unpublished reports and data produced by an external scientist without the author’s permission is unethical, and (iii) dissemination of unreviewed data or draft documentation is potentially misleading and hence illogical. This report should be cited as: Hanekom N., Randall R.M., Bower, D., Riley, A. & Kruger, N. 2012. Garden Route National Park: The Tsitsikamma Section – State of Knowledge. South African National Parks. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................2 2. ACCOUNT OF AREA........................................................................................................2
    [Show full text]
  • Laniarius Spp.) in Coastal Kenya and Somalia
    Brian W. Finch et al. 74 Bull. B.O.C. 2016 136(2) Redefining the taxonomy of the all-black and pied boubous (Laniarius spp.) in coastal Kenya and Somalia by Brian W. Finch, Nigel D. Hunter, Inger Winkelmann, Karla Manzano-Vargas, Peter Njoroge, Jon Fjeldså & M. Thomas P. Gilbert Received 21 October 2015 Summary.—Following the rediscovery of a form of Laniarius on Manda Island, Kenya, which had been treated as a melanistic morph of Tropical Boubou Laniarius aethiopicus for some 70 years, a detailed field study strongly indicated that it was wrongly assigned. Molecular examination proved that it is the same species as L. (aethiopicus) erlangeri, until now considered a Somali endemic, and these populations should take the oldest available name L. nigerrimus. The overall classification of coastal boubous also proved to require revision, and this paper presents a preliminary new classification for taxa in this region using both genetic and morphological data. Genetic evidence revealed that the coastal ally of L. aethiopicus, recently considered specifically as L. sublacteus, comprises two unrelated forms, requiring a future detailed study. The black-and-white boubous—characteristic birds of Africa’s savanna and wooded regions—have been treated as subspecies of the highly polytypic Laniarius ferrugineus (Rand 1960), or subdivided, by separating Southern Boubou L. ferrugineus, Swamp Boubou L. bicolor and Turati’s Boubou L. turatii from the widespread and geographically variable Tropical Boubou L. aethiopicus (Hall & Moreau 1970, Fry et al. 2000, Harris & Franklin 2000). They are generally pied, with black upperparts, white or pale buff underparts, and in most populations a white wing-stripe.
    [Show full text]
  • South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6Th to 30Th January 2018 (25 Days) Trip Report
    South Africa Mega Birding Tour I 6th to 30th January 2018 (25 days) Trip Report Aardvark by Mike Bacon Trip report compiled by Tour Leader: Wayne Jones Rockjumper Birding Tours View more tours to South Africa Trip Report – RBT South Africa - Mega I 2018 2 Tour Summary The beauty of South Africa lies in its richness of habitats, from the coastal forests in the east, through subalpine mountain ranges and the arid Karoo to fynbos in the south. We explored all of these and more during our 25-day adventure across the country. Highlights were many and included Orange River Francolin, thousands of Cape Gannets, multiple Secretarybirds, stunning Knysna Turaco, Ground Woodpecker, Botha’s Lark, Bush Blackcap, Cape Parrot, Aardvark, Aardwolf, Caracal, Oribi and Giant Bullfrog, along with spectacular scenery, great food and excellent accommodation throughout. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Despite havoc-wreaking weather that delayed flights on the other side of the world, everyone managed to arrive (just!) in South Africa for the start of our keenly-awaited tour. We began our 25-day cross-country exploration with a drive along Zaagkuildrift Road. This unassuming stretch of dirt road is well-known in local birding circles and can offer up a wide range of species thanks to its variety of habitats – which include open grassland, acacia woodland, wetlands and a seasonal floodplain. After locating a handsome male Northern Black Korhaan and African Wattled Lapwings, a Northern Black Korhaan by Glen Valentine
    [Show full text]
  • Zambia and Zimbabwe 28 Ovember – 6 December 2009
    Zambia and Zimbabwe 28 ovember – 6 December 2009 Guide: Josh Engel A Tropical Birding Custom Tour All photos taken by the guide on this tour. The Smoke that Thunders: looking down one end of the mile-long Victoria Falls. ITRODUCTIO We began this tour by seeing one of Africa’s most beautiful and sought after birds: African Pitta . After that, the rest was just details. But not really, considering we tacked on 260 more birds and loads of great mammals. We saw Zambia’s only endemic bird, Chaplin’s Barbet , as well as a number of miombo and broad-leaf specialties, including Miombo Rock-Thrush, Racket-tailed Roller, Southern Hyliota, Miombo Pied Barbet, Miombo Glossy Starling, Bradfield’s Hornbill, Pennant-winged ightjar, and Three-banded Courser. With the onset of the rainy season just before the tour, the entire area was beautifully green and was inundated with migrants, so we were able to rack up a great list of cuckoos and other migrants, including incredible looks at a male Kurrichane Buttonquail . Yet the Zambezi had not begun to rise, so Rock Pratincole still populated the river’s rocks, African Skimmer its sandbars, and Lesser Jacana and Allen’s Gallinule its grassy margins. Mammals are always a highlight of any Africa tour: this trip’s undoubted star was a leopard , while a very cooperative serval was also superb. Victoria Falls was incredible, as usual. We had no problems in Zimbabwe whatsoever, and our lodge there on the shores of the Zambezi River was absolutely stunning. The weather was perfect throughout the tour, with clouds often keeping the temperature down and occasional rains keeping bird activity high.
    [Show full text]
  • Namibia & the Okavango
    Pel’s Fishing Owl - a pair was found on a wooded island south of Shakawe (Jan-Ake Alvarsson) NAMIBIA & THE OKAVANGO 21 SEPTEMBER – 8 OCTOBER 2017 LEADER: STEVE BRAINE For most of the country the previous three years drought had been broken and although too early for the mi- grants we did however do very well with birding generally. We searched and found all the near endemics as well as the endemic Dune Lark. Besides these we also had a new write-in for the trip! In the floodplains after observing a wonderful Pel’s Fishing Owl we travelled down a side channel of the Okavango River to look for Pygmy Geese, we were lucky and came across several pairs before reaching a dried-out floodplain. Four birds flew out of the reedbeds and looked rather different to the normal weavers of which there were many, a closer look at the two remaining birds revealed a beautiful pair of Cuckoo Finches. These we all enjoyed for a brief period before they followed the other birds which had now disappeared into the reedbeds. Very strong winds on three of the birding days made birding a huge challenge to say the least after not finding the rare and difficult Herero Chat we had to make alternate arrangements at another locality later in the trip. The entire tour from the Hosea Kutako International Airport outside the capital Windhoek and returning there nineteen days later delivered 375 species. Out of these, four birds were seen only by the leader, a further three species were heard but not seen.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Namibia, Botswana & Victoria Falls Species List
    Eagle-Eye Tours Namibia, Okavango and Victoria Falls November 2017 Bird List Status: NT = Near-threatened, VU = Vulnerable, EN = Endangered, CR = Critically Endangered Common Name Scientific Name Trip STRUTHIONIFORMES Ostriches Struthionidae Common Ostrich Struthio camelus 1 ANSERIFORMES Ducks, Geese and Swans Anatidae White-faced Whistling Duck Dendrocygna viduata 1 Spur-winged Goose Plectropterus gambensis 1 Knob-billed Duck Sarkidiornis melanotos 1 Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiaca 1 African Pygmy Goose Nettapus auritus 1 Hottentot Teal Spatula hottentota 1 Cape Teal Anas capensis 1 Red-billed Teal Anas erythrorhyncha 1 GALLIFORMES Guineafowl Numididae Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris 1 Pheasants and allies Phasianidae Crested Francolin Dendroperdix sephaena 1 Hartlaub's Spurfowl Pternistis hartlaubi H Red-billed Spurfowl Pternistis adspersus 1 Red-necked Spurfowl Pternistis afer 1 Swainson's Spurfowl Pternistis swainsonii 1 Natal Spurfowl Pternistis natalensis 1 PODICIPEDIFORMES Grebes Podicipedidae Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis 1 Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 1 PHOENICOPTERIFORMES Flamingos Phoenicopteridae Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus 1 Lesser Flamingo - NT Phoeniconaias minor 1 CICONIIFORMES Storks Ciconiidae Yellow-billed Stork Mycteria ibis 1 Eagle-Eye Tours African Openbill Anastomus lamelligerus 1 Woolly-necked Stork Ciconia episcopus 1 Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumenifer 1 PELECANIFORMES Ibises, Spoonbills Threskiornithidae African Sacred Ibis Threskiornis aethiopicus 1 Hadada Ibis Bostrychia
    [Show full text]
  • University of Copenhagen
    Redefining the taxonomy of the all-black and pied boubous (Laniarius spp.) in coastal Kenya and Somalia Finch, Brian W.; Hunter, Nigel D.; Winkelmann, Inger Eleanor Hall; Manzano Vargas, Karla; Njoroge, Peter; Fjeldså, Jon; Gilbert, Tom Published in: Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club Publication date: 2016 Document version Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Citation for published version (APA): Finch, B. W., Hunter, N. D., Winkelmann, I. E. H., Manzano Vargas, K., Njoroge, P., Fjeldså, J., & Gilbert, T. (2016). Redefining the taxonomy of the all-black and pied boubous (Laniarius spp.) in coastal Kenya and Somalia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club, 136(2), 74-85. http://boc- online.org/bulletins/downloads/BBOC1362-Finch.pdf Download date: 02. Oct. 2021 Brian W. Finch et al. 74 Bull. B.O.C. 2016 136(2) Redefining the taxonomy of the all-black and pied boubous (Laniarius spp.) in coastal Kenya and Somalia by Brian W. Finch, Nigel D. Hunter, Inger Winkelmann, Karla Manzano-Vargas, Peter Njoroge, Jon Fjeldså & M. Thomas P. Gilbert Received 21 October 2015 Summary.—Following the rediscovery of a form of Laniarius on Manda Island, Kenya, which had been treated as a melanistic morph of Tropical Boubou Laniarius aethiopicus for some 70 years, a detailed field study strongly indicated that it was wrongly assigned. Molecular examination proved that it is the same species as L. (aethiopicus) erlangeri, until now considered a Somali endemic, and these populations should take the oldest available name L. nigerrimus. The overall classification of coastal boubous also proved to require revision, and this paper presents a preliminary new classification for taxa in this region using both genetic and morphological data.
    [Show full text]
  • Bird Diversity and Land Use on the Slopes of Mt
    Bird diversity and land use on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the adjacent plains, Tanzania Bird diversity and land use on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the adjacent plains, Tanzania Eija Soini Correct citation: Soini E. 2006. Bird diversity and land use on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro and the adjacent plains, Tanzania. ICRAF Working Paper no. 11. Nairobi, Kenya: World Agroforestry Centre. Titles in the Working Paper Series aim to disseminate interim results on agroforestry research and practices and stimulate feedback from the scientific community. Other publication series from the World Agroforestry Centre include: Agroforestry Perspectives, Technical Manuals and Occasional Papers. Published by the World Agroforestry Centre United Nations Avenue PO Box 30677, GPO 00100 Nairobi, Kenya Tel: +254(0)20 7224000, via USA +1 650 833 6645 Fax: +254(0)20 7224001, via USA +1 650 833 6646 Email: [email protected] Internet: www.worldagroforestry.org © World Agroforestry Centre 2006 ICRAF Working Paper no. 11 The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the World Agroforestry Centre. Articles appearing in this publication may be quoted or reproduced without charge, provided the source is acknowledged. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purposes. All images remain the sole property of their source and may not be used for any purpose without written permission of the source. 2 About the author Eija Soini has a Masters degree in Development Geography from the University of Helsinki, Finland. She has also studied a range of other subjects including Biology, African studies, Cultural Anthropology, Education, and Remote Sensing and GIS.
    [Show full text]
  • Zambia and Namibia a Tropical Birding Custom Trip
    Zambia and Namibia A Tropical Birding Custom Trip October 31 to November 17, 2009 Guide: Ken Behrens All photos by Ken Behrens unless noted otherwise All Namibia and most Zambia photos taken during this trip INTRODUCTION Southern Africa offers a tremendous diversity of habitats, birds, and mammals, and this tour experienced nearly the full gamut: from the mushitus of northern Zambia, with their affinity to the great Congolese rainforests, to the bare dunes and gravel plains of the Namib desert. This was a custom tour with dual foci: a specific list of avian targets for Howard and good general mammal viewing for Diane. On both fronts, we were highly successful. We amassed a list of 479 birds, including a high proportion of Howard’s targets. Of course, this list could have been much higher, had the focus been general birding rather than target birding. ‘Mammaling’ was also fantastic, with 51 species seen. We enjoyed an incredible experience of one of the greatest gatherings of mammals on earth: a roost of straw-coloured fruit bats in Zambia that includes millions of individuals. In Namibia’s Etosha National Park, it was the end of the dry season, and any place with water had mammals in incredible concentrations. The undoubted highlight there was seeing lions 5 different times, including a pride with a freshly killed rhino and a female that chased and killed a southern oryx, then shared it with her pride. In Zambia, much of our birding was in miombo, a type of broadleaf woodland that occurs in a broad belt across south / central Africa, and that has a large set of specialty birds.
    [Show full text]
  • Wetlands of Kenya
    The IUCN Wetlands Programme Wetlands of Kenya Proceedings of a Seminar on Wetlands of Kenya "11 S.A. Crafter , S.G. Njuguna and G.W. Howard Wetlands of Kenya This one TAQ7-31T - 5APQ IUCN- The World Conservation Union Founded in 1948 , IUCN— The World Conservation Union brings together States , government agencies and a diverse range of non - governmental organizations in a unique world partnership : some 650 members in all , spread across 120 countries . As a union , IUCN exists to serve its members — to represent their views on the world stage and to provide them with the concepts , strategies and technical support they need to achieve their goals . Through its six Commissions , IUCN draws together over 5000 expert volunteers in project teams and action groups . A central secretariat coordinates the IUCN Programme and leads initiatives on the conservation and sustainable use of the world's biological diversity and the management of habitats and natural resources , as well as providing a range of services . The Union has helped many countries to prepare National Conservation Strategies , and demonstrates the application of its knowledge through the field projects it supervises . Operations are increasingly decentralized and are carried forward by an expanding network of regional and country offices , located principally in developing countries . IUCN — The World Conservation Union - seeks above all to work with its members to achieve development that is sustainable and that provides a lasting improvement in the quality of life for people all over the world . IUCN Wetlands Programme The IUCN Wetlands Programme coordinates and reinforces activities of the Union concerned with the management of wetland ecosystems .
    [Show full text]
  • Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation
    Darwin Initiative Award 15/036: Monitoring and Managing Biodiversity Loss in South-East Africa's Montane Ecosystems MT MABU, MOZAMBIQUE: BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION November 2012 Jonathan Timberlake, Julian Bayliss, Françoise Dowsett-Lemaire, Colin Congdon, Bill Branch, Steve Collins, Michael Curran, Robert J. Dowsett, Lincoln Fishpool, Jorge Francisco, Tim Harris, Mirjam Kopp & Camila de Sousa ABRI african butterfly research in Forestry Research Institute of Malawi Biodiversity of Mt Mabu, Mozambique, page 2 Front cover: Main camp in lower forest area on Mt Mabu (JB). Frontispiece: View over Mabu forest to north (TT, top); Hermenegildo Matimele plant collecting (TT, middle L); view of Mt Mabu from abandoned tea estate (JT, middle R); butterflies (Lachnoptera ayresii) mating (JB, bottom L); Atheris mabuensis (JB, bottom R). Photo credits: JB – Julian Bayliss CS ‒ Camila de Sousa JT – Jonathan Timberlake TT – Tom Timberlake TH – Tim Harris Suggested citation: Timberlake, J.R., Bayliss, J., Dowsett-Lemaire, F., Congdon, C., Branch, W.R., Collins, S., Curran, M., Dowsett, R.J., Fishpool, L., Francisco, J., Harris, T., Kopp, M. & de Sousa, C. (2012). Mt Mabu, Mozambique: Biodiversity and Conservation. Report produced under the Darwin Initiative Award 15/036. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London. 94 pp. Biodiversity of Mt Mabu, Mozambique, page 3 LIST OF CONTENTS List of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 3 List of Tables .............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]